Kiawah Island Marathon 2017

The Kiawah Marathon in Charleston, South Carolina completes a second circuit of a marathon or ultra in all 50 states. A flat, coastal marathon on roads and a little bit of bike path through the golf resort. Cold temperatures, 40 degrees, made for great running conditions. The nearly hour I spent in traffic trying to get to the parking and shuttle buses, made me think I was going to hate this race. But I made packet pickup just in time, and started the race. In the first 5 miles there was quite a bit of jostling until the half split off, and I stopped at about 0.5 for a photo of a sign Marty and Terri King Pignone had made for the occasion. We came back together at about 13 when I got an opportunity to spend a mile with Kimberly Danchus, who had a “50 State Marathon Finisher x2” sash made for me. After our mile we split again and around mile 21 when I stopped to get a beer the 4:30 pacer passed me, so I decided to make that my goal for the day I followed her until the last 200 meters and finished in 4:28:30. It’s by no means my best performance, but I felt good about today. The post race party was excellent. Race wife Amy Melissa Guimond completed her 75th half, and new friend Brigitte Mittler was completing her 50th half. Fun fact: South Carolina’s ordinance of secession was written December 20, 1860 in Charleston. It listed as a primary motivation “increasing hostility on the part of the non-slaveholding States to the Institution of Slavery.” 12 other states, and the territory of Arizona would follow, and April 12 of the following year traitorous confederate forces would fire artillery on the union garrison at Fort Sumter, also in South Carolina, beginning the American Civil War which would claim nearly 2/3 of a million lives.

Anonymous Maniac. I’m pretty certain I also saw Chuck Engle, who this is definitely not.

This house is far too large for the old people who own it

Long chute. Funny sign.

Rainbow Row, the nation’s oldest series of Georgian row houses.

White Point Gardens, at the Southernmost Point of the city.

Brigitte Mittler and her sash. Kim assured me mine was not so glittery.

Thank God it’s cold. Number of cups is indicative of how far back I was in the pack.

Charleston City Hall

If there’s an image you’re familiar with in Charleston, it’s probably this pineapple fountain. The pineapple has long been a symbol of hospitality dating back to the days when sea captains would mount one in front of their homes to announce that they had returned. It is also inarguably the best fruit EVER.

More of the coastal SC wetlands.

One of the more interesting parts of the race

Charleston has many beautiful historic homes, but the swankiest are south of Broad St.

Christmas tree in the Charleston market

Seen at about mile 20, Refers to the Atlanta Journal Constitution’s Peachtree Road Race, America’s largest 10K. A 10k a 6.2 miles, or if a popular ultramarathon meme is to be believed, also an aid station.

Blurry picture, but the important part is visible. She is absolutely right. Die Hard is THE Christmas movie.

The Battery, named, not unlike Battery Park in Manhattan, for the artillery batteries which would be placed here to defend the crucial port city.

Marion Square, former Citadel parade ground (see turreted structure in the background), getting all decked out for Christmas.

US custom house, where port taxes would be collected. Back in the day the federal government subsisted entirely on duties collected from imported goods. As in nearly all pre-modern governments tax collectors were a lot known for corruption and graft.

Race wife Amy now has 75 halfs to her name (more than I) and is within spitting distance of her 50 state goal

Long sleeve hoodie? Did not mind if I do.

Kimberly Danchus’s sash. A sweet thing to do, but the attention is a little awkward.